


The Last Night of Hyrule

by AstroMega



Series: The Last Night of Hyrule [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Fantasy, LGBTQ Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:40:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23267860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstroMega/pseuds/AstroMega
Summary: My own retelling of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Series: The Last Night of Hyrule [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673140
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Link is gender fluid and uses they/them pronouns. This work is still very much in production

The Hero of Time stood before the King of Darkness. The Legendary Master Sword in their left hand, the divine Mirror shield in their right, and their fairy companion by their side. Though much of their own past was a mystery to them, The Hero had spent their whole life preparing for this moment. They had gathered the three Spiritual Stones, opened the Door of Time, pulled the Master Sword, traveled seven years into the future, rescued the sages, and made it through the vigorous gauntlet that was Ganondorf’s Castle.  
And how, They came face to face with the Demon Lord himself, the man who had made The Hero’s life a living hell from the moment they opened their eyes and plunged Hyrule into darkness for seven long years, Ganondorf. Behind the vile tyrant waited The Hero’s childhood friend and the one who had helped them throughout their journey, Princess Zelda. The Princess had been captured by Ganondorf and placed in a magic crystal above his throne.  
With the three in the same room, the mark of the Triforce began to glow on each of their left hands. Zelda with the Triforce of Wisdom, Ganondorf with the Triforce of Power, and the hero with the Triforce of Courage.  
“These toys are far too much for you” Ganondorf said, flaunting his Triforce of Power.  
Ganondorf then released a wave of arcane energy that caused The Hero’s fairy to vanish. Their guide, their friend, gone. Now, it was just the two of them. Ganondorf slammed his fist on the ground below, creating a crevasse between him and The Hero. He then proceeded to levitate in the air whilst continuing to mock The Hero.  
Before The Hero could react, Ganondorf hurled a ball of pure arcanum at them. The Hero tried blocking the blast with the Mirror Shield, but it was no use, for the magic had melted the reflective surface, rendering the ancient artifact useless. Ganondorf threw another blast. This time, The Hero swung at it in an attempt to bounce it back at the tyrant, but it was no use. They tried pushing it back with all of the might granted to them by the strength enhancing Golden Gauntlets, however, Ganondorf’s magic was far stronger. The Hero only managed to dispel the beam. Once again, the demon king fired another charge. Still recovering from the Golden Gauntlets giving out, The Hero only had a split second to react. They weakly raised The Master Sword, unable to gather the strength to keep a steady grip. The legendary blade fell to the depths below. As it fell, so too did the fate of Hyrule. Ganondorf floated closer and closer to The Hero, laughing the whole way. He raised his palm just inches from the Hero’s face. The Hero felt the arcane energy charging into Ganondorf’s hand. A sudden realization came to the Hero as they took their final breaths. Everything they’d done up until now...it was all for nothing. They were going to die, and so too would the kingdom of Hyrule. 

Link jolted awake in their bed, panting and covered in sweat. It was the same dream they’d been having since their parents had died. They tried to rationalize it several times before, but the answers as to what it meant escaped them. The strangest thing was that it never felt like a dream, it felt like a memory.  
The sounds of the thunderstorm brewing outside distracted Link, making it easier for them to calm down. Upon gathering their thoughts, they looked to their right to see that their uncle was getting ready to go outside. The storm was getting worse by the second, so it seemed strange that Link’s uncle would be going out in such terrible weather.  
“Trouble sleeping again?” asked Link’s uncle.  
The adolescent Hylian replied in their hazy, sleep deprived voice.  
“Mmmhmm…..are you going somewhere”.  
“There’s some business that needs to be taken care of at the Castle”.  
Lightning cracked from outside the small bungalow.  
“Are you sure you want to go out alone? It’s dangerous”.  
Link’s uncle turned over to them, giving them a gentle smile as he lit a lantern and placed it next to Link’s bed.  
“Always the worrier, Link. I’ll be fine, the storm should be letting up soon”.  
“Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to help?”.  
“This is something I have to do on my own. I’ll be back before morning. Sleep tight. I love you”.  
Link’s uncle left through the front door of the house, grabbing his sword as he exited. Link thought this was strange as they had never seen their uncle use the sword and always warned Link not to touch it. Something else peculiar was that the family shield hung over Link’s bed seemed to be gone too.  
‘I hope he’s ok’, Link thought as they lay back in bed.

Link shut their eyes. Normally, it would take Link quite a while to fall asleep. But this time was different. They drifted off quickly, but not entirely to sleep. They were in that place between dreams and reality, where the rules of the worlds start to bend and your sense of reasoning begins to slip away. Between asleep and awake. Between light and dark.  
“...Link”.  
Groggy and still in the inbetween, Link replied to the female voice that seemed to be calling to them.  
“Wh-what? Hello?”  
“Link, I need your help. Aganihm has taken control of the castle! Please hurry!”  
The voice seemed familiar to Link. Not the sound of it, more of the tone and manner in which she spoke.  
“Huh? Who are you?”  
“My name is Zelda”.


	2. Chapter 2

Link ran through the fields of Hyrule, their boots sloshing in the mud as they rushed to the castle. The tremendous downpour caused Link’s clothes, a green tunic on top of a long sleeved brown shirt, to become heavy and damp. They had put on a bright green cap to try and remain somewhat dry, but this effort was in vain as Link’s light pink hair became soaked and matted across their forehead. Their uncle’s lantern had been the only source of warmth and light as they trudged through the increasing dampness of the land. This act of compassion was now the only thing guiding Link through this terrible storm.   
Link moved with passion, remembering what Princess Zelda had told them in the dream.  
“My name is Zelda, princess of Hyrule. I’m being held prisoner in the dungeon underneath the castle. The wizard, Aganihm is planning to sacrifice me in order to free Ganon. Please, for the sake of all the lives in Hyrule, come to Hyrule Castle! Free me and we can make sure that tonight will not be the last night of Hyrule”.  
Still, doubt filled Link’s mind. They’d been plagued with nightmares for years, but this one seemed different. It was so clear, and the princess seemed so real. Yet, Link was still uncertain as to whether it was true or not. In any case, Link’s uncle said that he was going to the castle, and if there was even a chance that he was in mortal danger, then Link knew that they had to help in any way possible. 

Finally, Link had reached the castle. Standing in front was a man in a fortified suit of armor. It was different than what the royal guards usually wore, so Link could tell already that something was different about tonight. Slowly, Link approached the guard.   
“Excuse me, sir, my uncle left for business in the castle and I just wanted to make sure that he was alright”.  
The guard didn’t respond.  
“...Um, my name is Link Kokiri. My parents were personal guards to the royal family, if I need any kind of credentials to get in”.  
Still nothing.   
“Please, I’m just worried about my uncle. I just need to make sure that he’s ok”.  
Slowly, the guard’s head tilted down to meet Link’s eyes. But the guard didn’t seem to have a face behind the helmet, just two swirling lights surrounded by blackness. Link jumped back in fear. This definitely wasn’t a normal royal guard.   
“I’m sorry to bother you sir, I’ll just be on my way”, Link said sheepishly whilst stepping backwards.   
Still reeling in fear, Link began to walk back to their house. They’d only gotten a couple steps when they heard a familiar voice call out to them.   
“On the east side of the castle, behind a bush, there is a secret entrance. Please hurry!”   
Link stopped in their tracks. All of this was so uncertain to them until now. This changed everything. Suddenly the doubt that Link had for the entire situation became doubt that they could do anything about it. If Aganihm was truly about to free Ganon, what good would a pink haired kid with a rusty lantern do?

Before they knew it, Link was at the bush that Zelda had described. Behind it, Link could barely make out what looked like a handle to a trap door emerging from the dirt. Sure enough, when Link pulled it, a secret pathway into Hyrule Castle was revealed. Link jumped in, landing on the hard, wet stone of the underground tunnel. They were finally out of the rain, yet the damp tunnel was far from dry. Slowly, holding the lantern in front of them, Link made their way through the passage. It was dead silent, until they heard a loud, familiar scream. It was their uncle. Link began dashing through the corridor, not caring anymore about being quiet. This whole time they’d been worrying about the safety of their uncle, but they kept telling themselves that they were just being paranoid. You’re always the worrier, Link. Now, it the fear felt so real that Link could picture their uncle writhing in pain. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of running and worrying, worrying and running. Link’s fears had been confirmed. Their uncle was slumped against a wall, barely holding on to his sword and shield. He was dying.   
“Uncle!” Link screamed as they rushed to their uncle’s side. In his haste, Link dropped the lantern that had been guiding their way, it’s dull, ever fading glow being the only light in this dark place. Link’s uncle struggled to look at the face of his nibbling as he breathed his last breaths.   
“Link….I’m sorry, I’m so sorry”.  
“It’s ok, I’m going to get you out of here, you’re going to be fine!”  
Link’s uncle dropped his sword and touched Link’s face.   
“It’s too late for me...but it’s not too late for you. If you’re here than it no doubt means that you’ve been contacted by the princess”.  
Link nodded, tears streaming down their face.   
“T...take my sword and shield ...find the princess. The fate of Hyrule depends on you. Don’t let Aganihm win”.  
Link knelt at their uncle’s side, still in disbelief.   
“I...I can’t do it by myself”.  
Link’s uncle looked back at the pure fear and adrenaline in the young Hylian’s eyes.   
“It’s ok...it’s ok to need help”.  
The lantern’s light finally faded away as Link’s uncle passed, leaving Link in the dark, alone and scared. A feeling they hadn’t felt in a long time, but a familiar one nonetheless.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was a warm summer afternoon in the kingdom of Hyrule. The light from the sun warmed both the hearts and bodies of the Hylians meandering about in the Castle Town. Off in the courtyard, two children were at play, enjoying their day in the peaceful veil of childhood. One child, held aloft a tree branch, swiping at the air, cutting through imaginary monsters. The other child, a girl with golden blonde hair, bronzed skin, and plump cheeks that caught the sunlight, approach the other.   
“What’cha doin’?” she said in a high pitched innocent tone.   
The child stopped what they were doing and nervously dropped their arms to their sides.  
“I’m...uh ...saving Hyrule”, they responded  
“Saving it from what?” the girl replied excitingly  
“I dunno ...evil or somethin’”.  
The two stood silent for a few seconds, the one child anxiously awaiting for the girl to say something else while she excitedly waited for the other to do the same. After it became clear that they weren’t going to say anything else unless she did.   
“Do you know about the Hero of Time?”  
The child enthusiastically met the girl’s eyes.   
“No, what’s that?” they said as they sat down on the soft grass of the courtyard.   
The girl smiled as she began her story.   
“Well, my daddy told me about it. A really long time ago there was this kid who had to save Hyrule from an evil man. To do this, they had to rescue the princess and use a super special sword to defeat the man”   
The child rested their soft cheek against their palm, eagerly awaiting the rest of the story.   
“They had to fight big monsters like spiders and dragons and even had to go through time!”  
“Did they do it?”   
“Well, of course they did! The hero and the princess used both of their powers to defeat the man, saving Hyrule. And they all lived happily ever after”.  
“Wow, is this real or made up?”  
“I don’t know, I’ll have to ask daddy about it tonight”.  
Just as the child was about to ask the girl another question about the Hero of Time, a grown up in a set of red robes stepped in, demanding the attention of the girl.   
“Zelda, playtime is over. We need to get you ready for your fitting”.  
Zelda sighed.   
“Ok, Mr. Aganihm”.   
She smiled one last time at the other child.   
“Bye Link”. 

The warmth of childhood memories gave way to the chill of the present. Link trudged through the sewers beneath Hyrule Castle, shivering as they made their way through. Link hadn’t yet wiped the tears from their face, letting them dry into a hard surface beneath their eyes, in a sense creating a small barrier.   
Finally, Link saw a lit torch outside of a doorway. There was more light inside.   
‘This must be the dungeon’, they thought. Link stepped forward, quietly across the stone floor making only the subtlest of tapping sounds. Link peered in seeing rows of empty cells. One, however, did not appear empty. At the very end of the room there was an armored guard standing in front of a cell. Thinking that this must be where the princess was being held, Link drew their sword and approached the knight.   
The second Link left the shadows, the knight turned around. Link jumped back as he saw the same, lifeless, glowing eyes as the guard they ran into earlier. The knight quickly grabbed the flail off of its belt and began swinging it at Link with inhuman ferocity. Just before the flail could impact Link, they raised their shield, blocking the steel ball with a loud clunk. The knight attempted to swing at Link again, this time swinging lower in an attempt to immobilize them. Luckily, Link jumped at the right time and, while the knight was distracted, managed to get behind it. Before the knight could realize what had just happened, Link plunged their sword in a weak part of the armor, where the black mass that made up the creature's body was exposed. Upon doing so, the knight’s suit of armor crashed to the hard stone floor.   
Link turned around to the cell that the knight was guarding, where they met eyes with a familiar face. It had been a long time since they’d seen her and both of them had changed in so many ways over the years. But Link didn’t see the changes, they only saw what was the same. Her golden blonde hair, seeming to reflect the sunlight even in such a dimly lit cavern. Her bronze skin, full of color and vibrancy, painting her form with shades of copper and amber. Her soft, pump cheeks, freckled and blushing a brilliant red. And her piercing blue eyes, soaked in moisture. Link rushed to the door and broke the lock with their sword. Zelda ran up and gave Link the biggest, warmest hug Link had received in a long time. It had been so cold up until now, but this was so comforting. Link wished that this moment where the two teens, no, the two children embracing would last forever. Through tears, Zelda began to speak softly into Link’s pointed ear.   
“I knew it had to be you. It always had to be you”.


	4. Chapter 4

Link and Zelda made their way out of the catacombs and began to walk north towards the sanctuary, where Zelda promised that there would be people who can help them. She held onto Link as she guided them through the ever increasing viciousness of the storm. Finally the two spotted the small abbey located within Hyrule Cemetery. They sprinted to the wooden door before finally falling into the sanctuary. Link leaned against a wall, sliding down it until they were sitting on the floor. Still trying to catch her breath, Zelda walked over to them, her hair still dripping wet from the rain.   
“Are you alright, Link?”  
Link’s eyes became heavy as the adrenaline coursing through their body finally gave way, causing a wave of exhaustion to overcome them.   
“Mmmhmm ...just tired”.  
“Come on, let’s get you somewhere more comfortable”.  
Zelda lifted Link up by the arm and began to lead them to the pews. She helped them sit down on the cushioned seat, eventually sitting down next to them. Link rested their head on Zelda’s shoulder, their eyes still struggling to remain open despite the overwhelming fatigue.   
“Zelda...what’s going on?” Link asked in a tired voice.  
“It’s ok, Link, you can rest now”.   
Quickly, Link once again drifted off into the twilight between awake and asleep as the priest of the church ran over to the two. 

“Link! Wake up! My name is Navi, the Great Deku Tree has an important mission for you!"  
Link yawned and stretched as they met eyes with the glowing fairy floating above their head. They looked down at their body. It was strange, they seemed a lot smaller. Looking around they noticed that they suddenly weren’t in the church, it looked like some sort of tree house. Before Link could say anything else, there was a sudden flash as lightning cracked in the distance. They were no longer in the wooden shack, they were now outside the gate to Hyrule Castle Town. It was pouring rain, almost as hard it it had been earlier. The drawbridge began to lower ominously. Rushing through the gate, Link could see what looked like a woman and a young girl riding a horse. The girl stared at Link as she rode past them, a fearful look on her childish face. The girl then tossed something at them. Before Link could see what it was, another horse approached them. But this time, they recognized the rider. Staring into their soul with those bright yellow eyes was the man they had so many nightmares about, Ganondorf. Ganondorf raised out his palm as it too began to glow increasingly brighter with a yellow energy. He smirked as he prepared to end Link’s life. 

Link groaned as they came to consciousness. They were laying down in the church pews, surrounded by the echoing ambiance of the old building. Yet through the peaceful drone of the abbey, Link heard what sounded like someone crying. Link sat up and looked behind them to see Zelda with her head in her hands, weeping as softly as possible, clearly trying her best to not alert anybody. This was a feeling that Link knew all too well.   
As Link gathered their thoughts, the strangeness of this whole situation began to dawn on them. They hadn’t seen Zelda in years, but the two had been the closest of friends when they were young. Since Link’s parents were personal guards to the royal family, the two got to spend a lot of time together in the castle. But after Link’s parents died, there was no longer a reason for them to be there, and Link was far too passive and shy to ask if they could go to Hyrule Castle to play with the Princess. Years went by, and Link had not so much as heard from Zelda, figuring that she must’ve forgotten about her childhood best friend. But suddenly, she came back into their life, and in a big way.  
Just hours earlier, Link could only see what remained the same about Zelda. But now as the gravity of the situation began to fully weigh down on them, Link could now see the truth. Zelda was not the same girl they played with as a kid, and Link was not the same either. In fact, they were both now completely different people than they had been just yesterday.   
Link slowly began to walk over to Zelda, trying to make as little sound as possible as to not startle her. This backfired, however, as when Link tried to comfort Zelda by placing their hand on her shoulder, Zelda jolted up and let out a short shriek.   
“Ack! I’m so sorry!”   
Zelda panted as she wiped the tears from her face.   
“Oh no no no, you’re fine, I’m fine, everything is fine”.  
Link sat down next to the Princess.   
“It’s...um...it’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?” Link asked.   
“Yes, I guess it has”.  
The two sat in an awkward silence for a few seconds.   
“...You were crying” Link said, “but you’re not anymore”.  
Zelda nervously nodded.   
“Are you ok?” Link asked.  
“That’s not important right now. Are you ok, Link? I noticed that you were carrying your uncle’s sword. Does that mean that he’s…?”  
Link’s eyes dropped to the floor. Zelda knew that this could only mean one thing. She placed her hand on Link’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort them.   
“I’m so sorry, Link”.  
At this time, another person entered the room. It was the priest, Mother Impa.   
“Excuse me, Link, can I have a word with you privately?” the older Shiekah woman asked.   
Link’s eyes jolted up as soon as they were addressed. They looked back at Zelda as if to ask permission to do as Impa said. She nodded and took her hand off of them. Impa led Link away to the corner of the church, next to the statue of the Three Goddesses.   
“So, Link, I’m assuming that you have a lot of questions as to the circumstances that brought you here”  
Link nervously nodded.   
“Well then, allow me to explain. There’s no easy way to say this but Hyrule is in grave danger. Aganihm, the long time trusted advisor to the royal family has betrayed us. Unbeknownst to us, Aganihm’s true intentions were to sacrifice Princess Zelda in order to resurrect Ganon”  
Link had heard the name Ganon many times, but the only thing they knew about it was that they were supposed to be afraid of it.   
“What exactly is Ganon?” Link asked.   
“Ganon is a demonic being that threatens all life in Hyrule. Generations ago, a Gerudo man named Ganondorf attempted to gain the full Triforce to rule over Hyrule. He had already obtained the Triforce of Power, The Triforce of Wisdom was appropriated from the princess of the time, and the Triforce of Courage was taken from the corpse of…”  
Link interrupted.   
“The Hero of Time”  
Impa’s eyes widened as Link said this.   
“How...how do you know about the Hero of Time? Only members of the royal family and myself are to know about this”  
Link’s face suddenly became hot as Impa raised her voice.   
“Um...Zelda told be about it when we were kids. I don’t think that she knew to keep in secret. But she told me that the Hero of Time defeated Ganondorf”  
“Yes, they fought valiantly, but Ganondorf was much too powerful. He assembled the full Triforce and became the demon we know now as Ganon. However, the princess was able to gather seven wise men who sealed Ganon into the Sacred Realm where the Triforce had originally been found. It was a weak seal, but it was all that could be done at the time. And now, Aganihm seeks to break the seal and release Ganon on Hyrule once again”  
“So, what do I have to do with this?”  
“There is one artifact that may stand a chance against Aganihm’s magic, the blade used by the Hero of Time, The Master Sword. Link, many were called telepathically to assist the princess, but only you made it. The fate of Hyrule now rests upon your shoulders”.  
A huge weight began pressing down on Link’s chest. They had hoped that saving Zelda would’ve been the end of this, but it was only the beginning.   
“Wh-where is the Master Sword now?” Link asked, their voice cracking as they stumbled with their words.   
“The Master Sword rests in the Lost Woods, but first you must gather the three spiritual pendants located in temples across Hyrule”.  
Link pondered the whole situation. They thought that there must’ve been some kind of mistake. They weren’t a knight or a Sheikah warrior or a master spell caster, they were just some kid who happened to be friends with the Princess.   
‘The Princess!’ Link realized that she was still here, still crying alone in the pews. She was alone. Link figured that the King and Queen should be here somewhere. But other than themselves, Impa, and Zelda, the church was empty.   
“What happened to the King and Queen?” Link asked while looking back at Zelda.   
Impa sighed as she prepared her response.   
“Aganihm set out to eliminate anything standing between him and The Princess, and unfortunately, this included the King and Queen…”  
Link stood in silence, contemplating this destiny. Their thoughts soon turned to sympathy for their childhood friend. After their own parents died, Link wanted nothing more than for their friend to be there, if only to listen. Link remembered the cold emptiness that filled their heart becoming impossible to ignore, yet necessary to avoid. It was as if there was something missing from their very being, a nothingness that weighed a ton.   
“I...need to have a word with Zelda” Link said in a dull tone.   
Impa nodded slowly as Link began to walk back over to Zelda. They sat down next to her and put their arm around their shoulder, this time showing to hesitation. Zelda tried in vain to calm herself down, but it was no use.   
“Zelda, it’s ok, I’m here for you” Link whispered softly, “You can cry if you need to”.  
“No, I have to be strong, I’m going to be queen, I can’t show weakness, that’s how he wins!” She replied frantically.   
“Zelda, I know it hurts, but it’s going to hurt more if you don’t do anything about it. I’m sorry that you have to go through this but...I’m here for you, and I always will be. I’ll get the pendants and stop Aganihm, you have my word”.   
Zelda looked up at Link, her eyes quivering and face turning red. She began to burst into tears as she buried her face into Link’s chest and started to weep.   
“It’s just sniff it’s so much pressure! I don’t think I can handle it alone!” cried Zelda.   
“That’s why I’m here”  
“I...I...I...I don’t know what I’m going to do without them”  
Link patted her on the back.   
“I know it’s hard, but you can get through this. We can get through this...Zelda, it’s ok to need help”   
After several moments of Link comforting Zelda through this trying moment, her sounds of distress began to quiet. Eventually, she lifted her head up and met eyes with Link’s.   
“Sniff When Aganihm’s army was storming the castle, my mother told me to think of all of the strongest, bravest people in Hyrule. There were many I could think of, your Uncle included. But as I was sending out the message to all the heroes in Hyrule, I thought of who I wanted to see the most, my hero, the one who had endured so much pain and yet kept going. Link, that was you. And now you’re here. Thank you, Link, thank you so much”   
Link started to chuckle, smiling for the first time in a very long while.  
“I’m your hero?” they said in a sarcastic yet playful tone.  
Slowly, the edges of Zelda’s lips began to curl upwards.   
“Well of course, you’ve been fighting imaginary monsters since we were kids. What’s a few real ones compared to that”.   
“Oh yeah, well what about ‘Oh Link, your hair is so soft and pink. You’re like a little bunny rabbit. I just wanna take you home and doll you up in all sorts of pretty outfits’” Link replied, lightheartedly mocking Zelda’s posh accent.   
Zelda wiped the tears from her eyes before roughing up Link’s hair.   
“Well, I mean look at this! How could anyone not find this adorable. And it’s not my fault that you’re a huge softie”.   
Link laughed.   
“Says the girl who brought a baby wolf home into Hyrule Castle”  
“Hey! She was cold and it was raining”. 

The two went on like this for the rest of the night, laughing and reminiscing. Catching up on all those lost years, joking about the different people that they knew, playing silly games they hadn’t played in years. Pain and suffering brought them together, yet in this world of darkness, their combined light would become a beacon of hope to all those living in Hyrule. And though most couldn’t see it, their bright smiling faces warmed the land. Through the darkness and through the cold, Link and Zelda’s platonic love for each other would forever be the light in the dark, the warmth in the cold, the link between worlds.


	5. Chapter 5

“Ok, Link, steady yourself” Mitsuko Kokori said softly as she held on to her child’s shoulders.  
“Keep your stance wide, first, find the target with the tip of your arrow”.  
She guided Link’s arms, aiming their bow at the wooden target nailed onto the tree.   
“Close one eye, it’ll make your aim more precise. When you find the target, pull back on the string, and when it’s nice and taught, release”  
With their mother’s guidance, Link took aim, pulled back, and released the arrow. The bow string made an unfortunate twanging sound as the arrow dropped down to the ground.   
“I’m never going to get this” the young Link complained as they dropped their bow.   
“It’s ok, Link, you just need more practice” the Sheikah woman said as she picked up the discarded arrow.  
She held her hand out to Link.   
“Here, let me show you”.  
Link handed the bow back to their mother. Mitsuko took the bow, held it aloft in front of her, closed one of her bright red eyes, pulled back on the string arrow in hand. She blew the soft white hairs out of her eyes before releasing the bow. Before Link knew it, the arrow was embedded into the very center of the target.   
“So...just do exactly that?” Link asked.   
Mitsuko took the arrow out of the target as she replied.   
“Don’t do it exactly how I did it, you have to find your own way. Every arrow travels along a different path, what matters is that they’re all aiming for the same thing”.  
She handed the bow back to Link.   
“Here, try it by yourself”.  
Link grabbed the bow and arrow. They assumed the same position that their mother had taken. Closed one eye, took aim, and pulled back. But something didn’t feel right. Link was holding the arrow in their right hand and the bow in their left. It was the exact same way their mother had always done it but it somehow felt wrong to Link. Link switched the bow to their right hand and the arrow to their left, essentially doing a mirrored version of their mother’s stance. This felt so much more natural to Link. They pulled back and released the arrow.   
“You did it!” Mitsuko shouted.   
Link put their bow down to see where the arrow had ended up. They had missed the target completely, but the arrow was firmly planted in the tree just below.   
“But I missed”.  
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Link, you’re just starting out. Just a few more tries and I bet you’ll be a master at this. Ok, now try a few more like that and then we’ll work on your aim”. 

Mitsuko continued to train Link until the day of her untimely demise. A part of Link’s world ended that day, and they couldn’t bring themselves to pick up their Sheikah bow ever since. Those memories were happy ones, but still oddly painful as if they had been corrupted. These thoughts now flooded Link’s mind as they began their legendary journey. In order to defeat Aganihm, they would need more than just a dinky little sword. So, before setting off to the Eastern Palace, where the Pendant of Courage was located, they stopped by their house to pick up some supplies, including their bow and quiver of arrows.  
Link stepped outside, bow in hand and quiver slung around their back. They hadn’t touched the bow in a while, so they figured they should practice a bit before setting off. They took the stance that had always been the most comfortable to them and aimed an arrow at the old, worn out target set up in the backyard. Link fired. It wasn’t a perfect bullseye, but it did hit the target. Link figured that they should practice a bit more while on the road in order to get back to where they were before.   
Just as Link was putting their bow away, they heard a loud rustling from the woods. Link went closer to investigate. After taking a few steps, the creature, a wolf, came barreling out of the woods. This was no ordinary wolf, however. It’s fur was black as twilight, with patches of gray creating what looked like arcane symbols. The eyes were the strangest part, they were bright red and seemed to be glowing. The beast was also massive, meeting Link’s height while on all fours. Link froze, and as too did the canine. The wolf then cocked its head sideways, as if it was trying to communicate something to Link, some sort of message. As Link took another step back and began to draw their sword, the wolf quickly bolted back into the woods, leaving Link alone and confused.   
Link took a deep breath and gathered their thoughts. They figured that this was something they’d have to deal with eventually but now, they were off to the Eastern Palace, where they would become one step closer to obtaining the Master Sword.


	6. Chapter 6

Link was exhausted, panting as their boots clicked upon each step of the stone staircase. The weight of their shoulder bag was beginning to take its toll on their shoulder, leaving it sore and throbbing. Still, Link trekked onwards up the decrepit passage. The Master Sword was the key to stopping Aganihm’s plans. They had to do this. For Hyrule. For the world. For Zelda.   
Link had done very little adventuring in their life, a few trips with their parents here and there but nothing too major. And yet, this journey to collect three objects in order to pull the Master Sword felt oddly familiar, as if long, long ago, they had embarked on this same quest. Thinking about this made Link’s heart sink. They didn’t know why, but this feeling of deja vu created a fight or flight response in Link, as if doom awaited them upon completing this task. 

Link reached the top of the stairs. They were met with the sight of a massive fortress, with large monsters carved into the walls along it’s entrance. They were made to scare away anyone who dares to set foot into the holy ground, possibly to protect what was inside, possibly to protect anyone foolish enough to try and obtain it. Link walked through the door and stepped inside the palace. Inside was a large room containing six ominous statues. They were all made out of a dark, heavy looking metal, and were each made in the shape of a suit of armor, complete with swords and shields. As Link stepped through the area, investigating the statues, they noticed that one of them seemed a bit different from the others. The statue on the far east corner of the space had something inside it, glowing, shining a brilliant green. This had to be it, the Pendant of Courage had to be inside this statue! But how could they get to it? Link searched the statue further, placing a hand on it’s chest.   
Just then, Link heard the entrance to the palace shut with a thunderous echo. Before Link could look back, the statue began to shake. Link looked up to see that it’s eyes were now glowing and the whole thing seemed to be...moving? The statue then came to life and lunged at Link, knocking them onto the ground. Link looked back at the statue in confusion, and then again at the room around them. It was then that they realized that all the statues had spring into action through some sort of magic. These were no ordinary statues, they were animated armors, they were Armoros. 

Link took out their sword and attempted to slash at one of them, but it was no use. Their sword had bounced off the Armoros’s thick exterior and Link lost their grip, causing the sword to drop to the ground.   
Thinking quickly, Link took out their bow and aimed it at one of the Armoroses lunging towards them. Link’s hands were shaking, their knees weakening from the paralyzing fear. Link’s mind was now racing, trying to remember every lesson that their Sheikah mother had taught them. ‘How am I supposed to hold this? What am I supposed to do?”. Going backwards through their memories, Link finally recalled the first lesson their mother had ever taught him.   
“Don’t do it exactly how I did it, you have to find your own way. Every arrow travels along a different path, what matters is that they’re all aiming for the same thing”.

Finally, Link steadied themselves, and in an odd move, lowered their bow. They began running full sprint towards the stone behemoth. What they were about to do was unorthodox, a technique that was not taught in most archery classes. But the path that this arrow was about to take was Link’s and Link’s alone.   
They stepped onto the armoross’s shield and then used it as a platform to jump into the air. Then, at the highest point of their jump, something strange happened to Link. Time seemed to slow almost to a stop as they raised their bow and took aim, eventually hitting the armoros directly in its eyes. Quickly, and while still airborne. Link took out five more arrows and used them to hit all of the other Armorosses. By the time they reached the ground, all of them had been reduced to piles of rocks. 

Link stood in the middle of the sacred space, stunned by their own efforts. They then looked down at the pile of rocks in front of them. Amongst the rubble was a glowing green light, the Pendant of Courage. Link reached down to pick it up. But as they did, something strange happened. They began to remember something. 

They were in the forest, sitting in front of the Great Deku Tree. Just like in the dream they had earlier, they were in a body that just seemed too small. The large, fatherlike oak began to speak.   
“This is Hyrule's final hope. Link. Go now to Hyrule Castle. There, thou will surely meet the Princess of Destiny...Take this stone with you. The stone that man wanted to much, that he cast the curse on me…”  
A green stone with a golden band then lowered down from the heavens and into Link’s hands. 

It was odd. It felt like just a regular memory but Link couldn’t place when during their life this could’ve happened. But thinking about this event more and more, Link began to grow sad, as if they were remembering the last thing someone close to them had ever said. Suddenly, Link was on their knees, letting tears slowly trickle down their face and onto the palace floor. Link then looked down to see their sword, laying on the ground. They looked into their reflection in the blade. A face stared back at them. It was them, but it was also not them.   
“Who are you?”


	7. Chapter 7

After obtaining the Pendant of Courage, Link immediately set out for the southwest portion of Hyrule, where the Pendent of Power waited for them in the Gerudo Desert. They were running low on supplies, specifically food and water, so they decided to make a quick stop at Kakariko Village. However, they were not met with a warm welcome by the citizens of the thriving metropolis.   
Unbeknownst to Link, Aganihm had taken control of the throne. He told the Hylians that this was only a temporary rule, until Princess Zelda could be found. Aganihm then labeled Link as an enemy of the land, saying that they were the one who killed the king and queen before kidnapping the princess. As soon as Link set foot in the village, they were on enemy territory. Aganihm had placed a large bounty on Link’s head, wanted posters with the child’s face lined the walls of the city. And as Link ran as fast as they could from the town guards, passing the pictures plastering the streets with their face, the Links in the prints seemed to almost stare back at them, a dark reflection of the true Link. 

Finally, Link made their way to the desert, but with no food, no water, and the desert sun beating down upon their porcelain pale skin, Link was not in good shape. They trekked through the desert, panting with each heavy step. The sweat that accumulated on Link’s forehead became the only moisture around. And after the horrible experience they had in Kakariko, Link felt more alone than they ever had in their entire life.   
The heat was now really starting to get to Link, to the point where the Hylan teen’s mind became slowly and slowly as broken and warped as their body was. Off in the distance, Link could see their house, just standing atop a sand dune, just as it had rested on the hill back home. But this was their home? Was it not? Link looked around to see the same old trees in the same old forest that surrounded their childhood home. Finally, their quest was over. Link was home.   
Link began to run into their house in a full sprint before…  
THUD  
The six year old Link had tripped over a rough patch of dirt and fell, scraping their knee. They felt warm blood slip through the cracks in their tiny fingers as they began to cry out, sobbing in pain.   
“Link! Sweatie, are you ok?” Lavena Kokiri asked.   
Suddenly, Link’s mother knelt at their side. Even while kneeling, the Zonai woman towered over her child, her long red hair sweeping against the dirt as she moved her face closer to Link’s.   
“Show me where it hurts”.   
Link’s cry softened to a small whimper as they removed their hands from their knee. Lavena took a quick look at the injury. She then used the long sleeves of her robes to wipe away Link’s tears before cradling their face.   
“I know just the thing to make this all better”.   
Lavena then walked over to a nearby tree and picked a single leaf off of it’s branch. She then covered the Link’s cut with it and placed both hands firmly on their knee before speaking a few words that Link couldn’t understand. When she lifted her hands of the wounded area, it was all healed. Link was confused.   
“Is...is the leaf gone?” Link asked their mother.   
“Yes, it is” the mage replied.   
“F...forever?”  
“No, not forever, it will be back eventually”.  
Link tilted their head to the side, confused.   
“Link, do you wanna know a secret?”  
The young Link nodded.   
“Ok, but you have to keep it from everyone”  
Link made a zipping gesture across their lips.  
“That leaf has been a million leaves before, and everytime it goes away, it’s gone for a while. But eventually, after a very long time the stuff that makes up the leaf will come back together in the same way and the leaf will live again. This is true of everything you see. Nothing has a beginning or an end, it’s all just the same stuff being formed and reformed in an endless cycle that will eventually repeat in the same way. Do you understand, Link?”  
At the time, they didn’t. They were just a child, for them the most painful thing in the world was scraping your knee. There was no way that they could comprehend this truth of the universe. But experiencing this memory again, Link started to understand what their mother was trying to get across. They didn’t fully understand yet, but they would. In time they would. 

Link closed their eyes for a second. When they opened them, their mother was gone, they were back in the desert. Link picked themselves up and looked off into the distance. The palace was now in view. Link only needed to travel a few more hours until they reached it, but that was easier said than done. The heat. Oh the heat was unbearable! Link had to take their cap off and roll up their sleeves. Perhaps, if they were able to stop in Kakariko Village, they could’ve bought an outfit that would be better suited to the brutal climate of Gerudo Desert. Instead, Link was forced to trudge forward in a cotton tunic, leggings, and leather boots, feeling now more like a heavy suit of armor with every step they took. Link desperately needed to cool down in any way possible. If only there was some sort of oasis around.   
‘Wait a minute, is that what I think it is?’ Link thought.   
Just in front of them was a beautiful, sparkling oasis, surrounded with fertile plant life. Link wondered how they could have missed it. But questions like that need not matter in such a situation. Link dropped down to their knees and began scooping up water with their hands before eventually just putting their face to the moisture and lapping it up. Then, after Link’s thirst was quenched, they opened their eyes to quite an odd sight. The first thing they saw was their reflection, but it wasn’t that of a normal Hylian. Instead, it was some sort of strange rabbit like creature, with long, floppy ears, and covered in fur, the same pale pink that the Hylian’s hair had been just moments ago. Shocked, Link recoiled back, landing on their rear.   
Once again, they were no longer in the desert, but this wasn’t a pleasant memory from Link’s youth. In fact, it wasn’t even Hyrule. The sky was a sickly green, speckled with ominous black clouds. All around them was dead grass, a field of only decay. And the stench, oh the stench. The air was so full of spores and dust that Link found themselves yearning for the time they spent in the sewers of Hyrule Castle town. This whole place seemed like some sort of twisted reflection of the Hyrule that Link had known, a world of darkness. Was this another hallucination? Was this the underworld? Or was this a twisted spell that Aganihm placed in an effort to halt Link’s progress?  
Link surveyed this strange land once more, in an attempt to find any sign of life in this field of death. Finally, Link spotted something. But upon further examination, it became clear that the creature would not be a kind one. In fact, it looked a lot like a wolf. A wolf with pitch black fur and eyes that seemed to glow a devilish red.   
‘Uh oh’ Link tried to say, but in this form they were only able to let out a couple of squeaks.   
The wolf began barreling towards Link, fangs bared. Link tried to grab onto their sword, but for some reason they weren’t able to get any kind of grip on it. They pulled their arm down to see what the problem was. Instead of hands, Link was met with the sight of two soft pink paws, unable to hold a stick, let alone a sword.   
Link looked back up to see that the wolf was now right in front of them. Before they could react, the wolf bit into Link’s side, plunging it’s fangs deep into their flesh. Link let out a loud, high pitched squeak before finally blacking out. 

Link jolted awake screaming. They stopped soon after, relieved that they were now able to speak like a Hylian again. Link examined their body to confirm their suspicions. To their relief, they were back in their original body. Link sighed in relief. This relief, however, was short lived, as Link looked around to find themselves laying in complete darkness. The floor was covered in a shallow layer of water, but this was the only thing they could make out, everything else was black. Link stood up.   
“Hello!?” They exclaimed.   
Their cries echoed throughout this realm of emptiness.   
“...Link” a voice whispered.   
Link jumped backwards, startled.   
“Who’s there?!”  
“Link!” the low voice shouted this time, booming throughout the realm.   
A few seconds of silence followed.   
“What is it that you want, Link?” the voice said, returning to an echoey whisper.  
“Power? I can give you all the power you desire”  
Link tried to run away, splashing with every step they took.   
“Or is it riches? You can have all the rupees you desire, Link”  
“No! No, I don’t want this, just take me home?” Link cried out.   
“Home? Your home? Where you are alone? Do you really want to go back to that empty husk of isolation?”  
Link stopped.   
“What about your real home? The one that exists only in your memories, with two loving mothers, a caring uncle, and not a worry in the world. I can give it to you. Just say the words and you’ll be at your front door, rushed into the warm embrace or your family, away from this grueling destiny. I can make you happy again, all you have to do is give up”.   
Tears began welling from Link’s eyes, adding themselves to the water on the floor.   
“No! I can’t!” Link screamed through tears.   
“Why not? There’s no way you can win against me. A broken, pink haired orphan stands no chance against the mighty Ganon!”  
Link fell to their knees and looked down at the pool beneath them. They looked at their reflection, the reflection of a broken, pink haired orphan. The reflection of Link. The reflection of the child trained by the greatest archer and the most powerful sorcerer in all of Hyrule. Half Sheikah, a people of honor and wisdom. Half Zonai, warriors with unimaginable power. And Link, the child with the courage to defeat Ganon.   
“Never!”  
Link slammed their fist into the ground, causing it to shatter beneath them. 

Link fell, and fell, and fell, until they finally landed softly on their back, and in a field of flowers. Link looked up and the bright blue sky, squinting as their eyes adjusted to the light. Link sat up in the picturesque landscape, where they found a pleasant surprise sitting just in front of them.   
“Z...Zelda?”  
The princess nodded.   
“Is...is this real?”  
“It can be, for now. Here, this will make you feel better”.   
She handed them a heart shaped bottle containing a sparkling red liquid. Link drank the whole thing as fast as possible. Zelda giggled as she watched her friend down an entire healing potion in an instant.   
“Link, it’s all ok now, you can rest”.  
Link began to lie down, resting their head on Zelda’s thighs.   
“Zelda?”  
“Yes, Link?”  
“Am I still broken?”  
Zelda stroked Link’s hair as she answered.   
“You never were”.


	8. Chapter 8

The door of the Desert Palace opened slowly and with a loud, drawn out creek as the sand in the hinges scraped across the metal. Through the portal stepped Link, awake and refreshed. The teen Hylian raised their lantern as they slithered into the temple. They had come in search of the Pendant of Power, but all they found was an empty space, the floor covered wall to wall with sand. Sand, sand, and more sand. Appropriate for a Desert Palace, but Link had become sick of the barren sight. If only there was a small patch of grass or even some dirt, then Link could have a small break from this endless sea of tan. 

Link stepped further into the temple, praying to the three goddesses that they wouldn’t have to dig for the pendant. They stepped into the center of the room and placed their hand on the ground, swiping away the particles in an attempt to uncover something, anything, that would lead to the pendant.   
Just then, Link began to feel something, a soft vibration coming from under the ground. They pressed their palm down, feeling the rumbling grow more and more violent with each passing second, as if something was moving down there, getting closer and closer until finally…

BOOM! 

A massive insectoid creature burst from the ground, causing Link to stumble backwards and fall on their rear. Rock particles rained down on them as they strained their eyes to get a closer look at this monster. It looked like an overgrown centipede, with a thick green exoskeleton, hundreds of legs squirming and contorting in every direction. It’s head featured two bulbus, sectional eyes, along with deadly pincers. The creature roared an unnatural roar, high pitched and shaky, yet terrifying nonetheless. Link had heard legends of this creature, Demon of the Desert, the Lanmola!

The Lanmola lunged towards Link, narrowly missing them as they tumbled out of the monster’s path. The behemoth then spiraled up out of the soil, crawling through the air just as easily as it could dig through dirt. It then attempted another jab in Link’s direction. Link managed to only narrowly avoid it this time, flopping on their stomach, scraping their chin on the rough floor.   
The Lanmola had now crawled back under ground, yet the vibration from the floor let Link know that it was still there, and still after them. Before it could resurface, Link pulled out their Sheikah bow and readied an arrow. They then surveyed the area, trying to find the exact spot that the brutish bug would arise from. Unfortunately, Link’s mind was not quick enough and the fiend emerged from the ground underneath them, knocking the young archer into the air.   
Whilst airborne, Link attempted to strike the desert demon with an arrow, but it was no use as they couldn’t get the missile in the bow before hitting the ground. The Lanmola cried out its devilish cry once again, as if it knew that it was about to be victorious in slaying Hyrule’s hero. Link once again tried to fire an arrow at the beast, but the constant rumbling of the ground made it hard to keep a steady aim and they ended up missing entirely. The Lanmola then charged towards Link as they were fiddling with their bow, trying in vain to get it to work for them. It felt as if a cannonball struck Link right in the chest and they were knocked into the wall behind them, the air escaping their lunges as they made impact. The bow had now been knocked clean out of Link’s hand. Thinking quick, Link then drew their sword. It would be hard to hit a moving target with such a short range weapon, but at this point they had no other option.   
The monster began to rush towards Link, twitching it’s pincers, preparing for the final attack. Link then jumped up in the air, eliminating the chances of the shaking ground causing them to miss again, and swiped their sword at the devilish incest, slicing it’s head off in one final blow.

The head and body continued to twitch as the life began to drain from the monster. Finally, the wriggling ceased and the Demon of the Desert no longer posed a threat. A few seconds of silence followed before the ground began to shake again. Link’s heart began to race as they anticipated another fierce battle. Instead, however, they were met with a pedestal rising from the ground. And on top rested the Pendant of Power. Link took it and placed it in his bag along with the Pendant of Courage. Two down, one to go. Now, it was off to the Tower of Hera.


	9. Chapter 9

The cold night air hit Princess Zelda’s round cheeks as she strode outside of the church. It wasn’t windy, but cold nonetheless. An ominous cold. In her hands she held a round pearl, about the size of an apple. The princess made her way over to the shore of Lake Hylia. She looked up at the moon. It was a full and glowing, much like the pearl in her hand. She then looked down at the lake, specifically, where the moon’s reflection was visible in the water. She then placed the round gem in the water, where the reflection of the celestial body projected onto the surface.  
The young Hylian began to pray.   
“Goddess Nayru, bless this pearl with your calming light so that it may soothe the heart. Goddess Din, empower this relic so that it’s power shall never wane. Goddess Farore, reflect your courage into this gem just as the water reflects the moon”

The moon's reflection in the water began to change as Zelda uttered the final word of her spell. First, it became blue, then red, then green. Despite this, the moon in the sky remained the same. Finally, the reflection changed back to it’s normal hue. Zelda then placed her hand in the water and pulled the pearl out.   
“Zelda?” Mother Impa asked “What are you doing out here so late?”  
Zelda quickly turned to face the priest, cheeks red with embarrassment.  
“I...I had a vision...and I needed to do something”.  
Impa then sat down on the shore, gesturing to Zelda to sit next to her.   
“Please, tell me about it.”  
Still clutching the pearl, Zelda took a seat next to Impa.   
“It was about Link, they were in trouble. They were in the desert, tired and alone. This journey we sent them on, it took a toll on their heart and somehow they were transported to the Dark World”  
“You know of the Dark World?” Impa asked.   
“Y-yes, I know it’s forbidden knowledge but I… well I…”  
“It’s alright, child. Your mother kept many secrets from everyone, but she would never keep anything from you. Your knowledge doesn’t surprise me one bit”.   
The mention of her mother put a weight on Zelda’s heart and she looked off into the distance.   
“Every night she would tell all of the legends of Hyrule. When I was young, she presented them as simple fairy tales, like the tales of the Skyward Sword and Minish Cap, but as I grew older, she began to tell me more about the dark side of Hyrule, the real Hyrule. All of the pain and blood that created this kingdom”.  
“Queen Tetra was very wise, but sometimes wisdom has its downside”.   
“But, even with this knowledge, I still love Hyrule. I don’t regret anything I did with this information...except maybe one thing”.  
“And what is that, dear?”.  
Zelda paused before speaking again.   
“The first truly dark tale of Hyrule she told me was that of the Hero of Time. I was young and didn’t know what to do with this information and I wanted to talk about it with someone but… I told the story to Link one day. They asked how it ended. I told them that the Hero of Time lived, knowing that this wasn’t true”.   
Zelda lifted the pearl up to eye level and moved it around in her hands, watching as the reflections distorted about its round surface.   
“Link’s journey mirrors that of the Hero of Time in many ways, and I must do everything I possibly can to make sure that their story doesn’t end the same way. The Dark World causes those who enter it to take on a form based on their soul. Most are turned into monsters but Link became soft and defenceless. They managed to escape the realm but… I fear that this will not be Link’s last trek into the Dark World. This is a Moon Pearl, it will prevent them from becoming transformed again if the time comes”.   
Zelda then held the pearl out to Impa.   
“Please hold onto this until Link get’s back.”  
“Shouldn’t you be the one to give it to them?” Impa asked.   
“Aganihm is after me, and if he gets his hand on me then I can’t give it to them. It would be safer with you”.  
Impa placed her hands on Zelda’s and then gently pushed them to her chest.   
“You will give this to Link. If anything else goes wrong I have a plan. You have wisdom beyond your years, Zelda, I pray it will not cause you any more pain”.  
“My wisdom has never brought me pain, Mother Impa”.


	10. Chapter 10

Link groaned as they lifted their body over the cliff of Death Mountain. The climb up had been far more physically taxing than the walk through the desert, yet Link did not feel as tired and hopeless. It was as if, for now at least, a heavy cloak of misery had been lifted from their shoulders, and they could now proceed unencumbered.   
Link lied down on the cliff, their chest rising and falling as they catch their breath. They then turned their head to the side to look upon the mighty Tower of Hera. This was it, atop this tower resided the last pendant, the Pendant of Wisdom. Scanning up and down the stone structure, Link began to notice something odd. There were strange punctures in the stone that spiraled upwards around the tower. The building was old, so some surface damage was to be expected. But all of these seemed recent, as if whatever did this was still around, skulking in the shadows of the mountain, waiting to attack. 

SCREEEEEEEEEEE!  
Link jolted up, their heart pounding and their body shaking. They looked up the tower and noticed that some thing was crawling it’s way to the top. It looked sort of like the Lanmola that they’d just fought in the Desert Palace, but much bigger. It had a rigid yellow exoskeleton, hundreds of insectoid legs, and two bulging red eyes. Link had heard tale of this creature, but they didn’t think it was real. Or, at least, they hoped that it wasn’t real. This was the devil of Death Mountain, the Moldorm.

Just crawling up and down the tower caused parts of it to collapse, cascading to the ground below. If it wasn’t stopped soon, the whole tower would come down and threaten the lives of the Hylians below. Link had to put a stop to it, but the only way to get to it was by climbing the tower. Time was of the essence, there was not a second to lose. This was it. Before they knew it, Link was at the entrance. A large rock fell over the doorway, sealing them inside. No turning back now. They rushed up the staircase, leaping over chasms, dodging falling debris, and bravely enduring all of the danger laid out before them.   
Finally, they’d reached the top, where the Moldorm was wreaking it’s havok. It turned to look at the small child. Could this be the being if its downfall or it’s next meal? Link unsheathed their sword and readied themselves.   
“Just another bug” They said calmly before rushing in to attack the beast. 

The Moldorm quickly scuttled at Link, hunger in its eyes, wriggling it’s sectional body unnaturally. Link raised their sword far above their head and struck the creature right between it’s disgusting red eyes. But it was all for not as the blade merely bounced off the monster’s thick outer shell. This action caused Link to be thrown off balance. The Moldorm then swung it’s centipede like body, delivering a massive blow to Link’s chest. Link was nearly thrown off the edge of the tower. Luckily, they managed to catch themselves just before going over the edge. Link was now hanging onto the structure with one hand, their sword in the other, the sharp cliffs of Death Mountain below them, the bloodthirsty leviathan above them, clinging to life by a spider’s thread.   
Link mustered up all of the power, courage, and wisdom within their very soul and swung themselves back on top of the tower. The Moldorm continued to thrash about violently and the sacred tower’s supports began to give way. Attacking it’s head wouldn’t work, nor would any of the parts covered by it’s natural armor. There had to be some part of it that could be hurt. The Moldorm was no longer paying any attention to Link, likely assuming that they’d fallen to their death. It was then that Link noticed that the very end of the creature’s tail had been exposed. Whether this was normal for the moldorm or it had been hurt in some way didn’t matter, what mattered was that is was an easily exploitable weakness. Everything in this world, from the largest Lionells of the north to the tiny Tektites of the south, had a weakness. It was all a matter of having the wisdom to know what needed to be done, the power to take action, and the courage to do what’s right.   
Link picked up a small rock and tossed it at the beast. While it bounced of it’s thick hide, this did manage to get the Moldorm’s attention.   
“Hey! I’m still here! Why don't you try doing that again you overgrown octorok!” Link shouted at the monster, knowing full well that it likely couldn’t understand them.   
The Moldorm once again began speeding towards Link, preparing to strike them with it’s massive body. Before the monster could bash into their body, Link ducked below and just when it’s exposed tail was above their head thrusted their sword upwards, piercing the fleshy orb at the end of its body. The Moldorm let out one final high pitched screech before crumbling to the ground far below the Tower of Hera.   
Link stopped to catch their breath. The tower was safe for now, but they still needed the Pendant of Wisdom. They hoped that the Moldorm hadn’t eaten it, as there was no way they were going to get it after that. Suddenly, Link noticed a bright blue light glowing from underneath some rubble. Link lifted the rocks to find the last pendant, the Pendant of Wisdom. Was it there the whole time? Or was it waiting for one to prove their own wisdom and defeat the beast with mind over body? The answers escaped Link, but what they did know was that they’d gotten all three pendants. All they needed now was the Master Sword. They stared off in the distance at Hyrule castle, looming in the horizon.   
“Zelda, I’m almost there. Just hold out a little longer. I can do this”. 

Princess Zelda sat next to the lake behind the sanctuary, peacefully and softly singing the song that had been passed down through the royal family, a lullaby that brought peace to those who heard it’s divine melody. Part way through her singing, a small squirrel scurried up beside her.   
“Oh, hello”.  
The creature cocked its head to one side, staring at the princess.   
“Are you lost?” Zelda asked.   
The squirrel then looked over at the lake, and in a move that confused Zelda, jumped right in.   
“Oh no! Don’t do that!”   
Zelda knelt over the water, trying to find the poor creature so that she could keep it from drowning. As she looked down, however, something was strange. She couldn’t see her reflection on the water’s surface. In fact, she couldn’t see anything, it was just a dark void.   
Just then, a hand splashed out from under the water and pulled Zelda underneath, dragging her whole body into the void in a matter of seconds. The Princess then founder herself being pulled out of a fountain in the courtyard of Hyrule Castle where she met eyes with the man who had reached through space to grab her. He wore long robes with the Sheikah eye symbol adorning the cloth. Around his head was a scarlet sorcerers head wrap, covering his whole face save for his bright red eyes.   
“I finally have you.” Aganihm said in a low booming voice.   
“You are a clever girl, you should’ve known that you couldn’t hide from me forever”.   
Two guards then came from behind Zelda and apprehended her.   
“Wh...why are you doing this? My family gave you everything! You had everything you ever wanted!” screamed the Princess.   
“Your family? Your family!? Girl, your family sits atop a throne of deceit! They have failed this land for generations with no consequences! And why? Because you’ve fooled Hyrule into thinking that you all are somehow blood related to the mortal reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia! And what proof do you have of this!? Legends! All you have are legends of how the princesses of your family, with their holy blood have saved them all so long ago that no one can even remember it! You are not special, you are not gods! You are nothing but pretenders to the throne!”  
“So you’re going to bring back Ganon? The demon king?”  
“Ganon is the only one who truly deserves to rule. He has obtained all three pieces of the Triforce! That should make him the ruler of this land alone. He has earned dominion over this land! Ganon has actual power! All you have is your silly little stories. Ganon was sealed away by your family because they knew that he was the true ruler and that as long as he remained in this world that the throne would belong to him. So they gathered their wisemen, their sheep, and banished our true king into the realm of shadows! I am merely returning this land to its rightful owner!”  
“You’re wrong! Ganon is using you! Can’t you see that?”  
“And what of your little pink haired pet? Are you not using them to keep your power? Are you not stringing them along to do your bidding? Tell me, girl, how is what you’re doing any different from what Ganon is doing? You know that they’re only on this quest for the same reason I am on mine, honor and a prestigious life after our masters obtain their goals”.  
“Link is nothing like you! If the Triforce were right in front of them they would use it only for good because there is not a single selfish bone in their body!”   
Aganihm slammed his fist onto the stone wall next to it, cracking it.   
“Link is the Hylian embodiment of failure and wasted potential! That child comes from a long line of Knights of Hyrule! With the advantages laid out to them they should be head of the royal guard by now! Even before their mothers died they were such a crybaby, unable to even lift a sword! I offered to take them under my wing and train them where their mothers left off, but they were too much of an emotional wreck to take my offer! So what did they do!? Nothing! They spent the rest of their life sitting in that shack moping around about how much of a pathetic waste of space they are! That child is not a hero, they’re just your broken toy that you’re still trying to play with!”   
Tears welled up in Zelda’s eyes.   
“You’re wrong...they’re not like that...they...they…”  
Aganhim removed his fist from the wall.   
“They could've been right here by my side. Third in command under Ganon’s rule. But they were too weak. I suppose killing Lavenna and Mitsuko was just a waste of effort”.   
“You! You monster! How could you!?”  
“They couldn’t see where I was coming from and would only be a hindrance. So I put them out of their misery. Everything was according to his plan”.   
Zelda thrashed about, attempting to free herself from the guards.   
“You’ll pay for this Aganihm! You’ll never win!” she shouted.   
“I don’t even know why I thought you’d understand. Take her way! Prepare her for the sacrifice”.   
The guards effortlessly dragged Princess Zelda out of the room and to the castle dungeon. Soon, the rightful king would once again grace these lands. The only obstacle now standing between Aganihm and his goals was a lost, broken, lonely Hylian child in a green hat.


	11. Chapter 11

Long ago in days of old, lived a hero brave and bold  
Slain by the demon in blood so cold  
But as the clock turns round and round  
The hero’s soul again will be found  
Within these woods sleeps the blade  
That carries forth the hero’s shade  
Little leaf who lives again  
Reunite with your friend  
Three pendants bring you here  
Now you must face your fear  
Before the final moon shall fade  
Face yourself and pull the blade

“‘Face yourself and pull the blade’” Link read aloud off the poem inscribed at the entrance of the Lost Woods.   
This poem had been here for as long as any Hylian could remember, but few knew what it meant. The Lost Woods were dangerous. Hylians were told from a young age to keep away from the mysterious forest. And yet, here stood Link, preparing to venture forth within and retrieve the blade of legend.   
Legend  
That word. It kept repeating itself within Link’s mind. This whole journey was because of a legend, the tale of the Hero of Time. What was Link’s connection to this legendary hero? Was there a connection? Was this all a fantasy dreamed up by the Princess? Or could this possibly be a continuation of the battle that took place long, long ago. A link to the past. 

Link looked up at the bright blue sky above the trees and took one deep breath before stepping foot into the woods. At first, the woods seemed no different from any other forest in Hyrule. A tree here, a bush there, woodland critters hopping about.   
Link thought to themselves that maybe the tales of the Lost Woods being haunted were merely a myth, and that perhaps this part of the journey would be easy. A reward for slaying three demons and retrieving the pendants.   
However, as Link inched forwards, a thick fog began to roll in. Slowly at first. But then, as if all at once, the woodlands became completely enveloped within the misty blanket. Link could barely see anything. The only thing visible to them was the ground below them. They looked down at the grass in an attempt to gain any sort of bearing on where they were. Link blinked and opened their eyes slowly to reveal that the fog had all but disappeared, leaving behind a divine sight. It was a brilliantly shining, golden sword resting within a majestic pedestal.   
“The Master Sword!” Link exclaimed.   
They ran up to the pedestal and placed their hands upon the hilt of the blade.   
“Finally! Now I can get out of these cursed woods!” Link shouted as they pulled the sword. They raised the mythical sword above their head and…  
Nothing. Link’s hand were empty. No Master Sword. Just air.   
The thick fog rolled in once again. 

A gentle rainfall began to descend upon the forest. It was strange, seeing as how just a few moments ago, before they had entered the woods, the skies above Hyrule were completely clear. Raindrops began to trail down Link’s face as they continued through the Lost Woods. It was then that they realized, they had no idea where in the forest the Master Sword was. They thought that maybe after obtaining the three Pendants of Virtue that the sword would be waiting for them, ready to be pulled. Perhaps this was not meant to be. Perhaps they weren’t the hero that Hyrule needed. Zelda had contacted them by accident, so how could they be so sure that this is the path the goddesses laid out for them.   
The Hero of Time was dead. They died a century ago trying to stop Ganon from taking over Hyrule. They failed. The Princess of the time was able to restore balance to the kingdom for a time, but it was an unsteady peace. The fear of Ganon’s return was always in the heart of Hyrule, even if it's denizens tried to deny or ignore it, Ganon would return.   
Maybe this quest was over long before Link began their journey. Hyrule died one hundred years ago during the Imprisoning War. The kingdom now was an echo. An echo that was about to be silenced. 

GGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROWL  
A bestial noise emerged from deep in the woods, distracting Link from their pessimistic thoughts. They trudged through the rain, the wet mud making each step forward harder than the last. Link parted the branches that blocked his path. Upon separating them, they were met with the sight of a large pond, it’s waters so clear and still that it almost seemed like a mere sheet of glass. Fog quickly rolled in, obscuring the forest around it until it became lost in a gray haze. In the very center of the pond awaited the source of the growling. It was the black wolf, the same black wolf that Link had encountered back home at the start of their journey. It was just staring into Link’s very spirit with it’s bright red eyes. Link gulped as they began to address the wolf.   
“Wh-what do you want from me?”  
The wolf merely turned its head downward, gesturing to Link to do the same. Link looked down to see what ground the wolf was standing on. But there was now ground, the wolf stood atop the water itself. Link and the wolf then raised their heads simultaneously and made eye contact once again.   
Then, the wolf began to morph in shape. First, it’s body seemed to turn into pure shadow. Then it began to stretch into a taller form, standing vertically. Finally, it grew more defined features, if fact, it seemed to be Hylian now. Link stared in horror as the beast took on a very familiar shape. They had a slender build, very boney with androgynous facial features. Wavy shoulder length hair under a long pointed cap with a tunic to match. In their right hand they carried a shield emblemized with the Kokiri family crest. On their back sheathed a sword, the very same on Link’s Uncle had carried the night he died.   
Link couldn't believe it at first, but this creature standing in the middle of the pond was Link. Or at least some kind of dark reflection of Link. They looked identical in terms of physical features, but the other Link wore black instead of green, and their skin was light gray as opposed to Link’s pale pink.   
The Dark Link raised their left hand and gestured for Link to come forward. Link looked down at the pond, down at their reflection, their true reflection. They looked back up before taking a step onto the water. They walked across the pond with ease as if it were any ground. They then reached for the sword upon their back and pulled it from the sheath. The Dark Link did the same.   
“‘Face yourself and pull the blade’” Link quoted the poem as they took a combat stance. 

The Dark Link began to run towards the true Link at full speed with their shield raised and their sword behind them, ready to strike. Link attempted to parry the blow, but the otherworldly speed of Dark Link was too much. The twisted reflection slashed Link across their left arm, ripping their sleeve and breaking the skin underneath. Still, Link kept a steady grip on their sword. They jumped backwards, out of harm's way, before lunging forward with a stab. Link’s sword managed to hit it’s mark and now found itself imbedded into the chest of Dark Link. Dark Link began to stagger backwards. The creature's body language seemed to indicate great pain as it clumsily recoiled from Link’s blade. And yet, it’s face was unchanging, still blank and expressionless.   
“HYAAAAAAH!” Link screamed as they prepared another stab at the monster’s chest. However, Dark Link had anticipated this and it jumped straight up in the air before landing gracefully upon Link’s outstretched blade. Link’s eyes shot up to meet the red eyes of Dark Link. The reflection was now squatting upon their sword, staring down at them, as if to say You can’t try that again.   
Link swiped their sword horizontally to shake Dark Link off. It worked as Dark Link backflipped off before raising their sword above their head. Link could see a downward strike coming and lifted their shield to parry the blow. While Link managed to block the strike, they could feel the Dark Link’s strength growing as it pressed it’s sword harder and harder upon the Kokiri family shield. Link felt the surface of the shield crack, their family crest broken. The pressure grew more and more until Link was forced to drop the sword in their left hand in order to grip the barrier with both hands.   
The stress caused by Link’s dark side was becoming too much for Link as they came to a horrifying realization. They couldn’t win this fight. This creature was superior to them in every way and it felt far stronger than them. Hiding behind this shield, Link couldn’t even see the face of the monster causing this pain. They could only wait until it would inevitably be their end. In the moment of hopelessness, Link began to cry.   
“I...I can’t do it. I’m not strong enough”   
The Dark Link’s sword then split Link’s shield in twain. Behind the shield lied a crumpled and defeated Link. Weak and beaten, but now able to meet eyes with the Dark Link. Link fully expected the creature to kill them there and then. But something else happened. The Dark Link lowered their sword and dropped it.   
Confused, Link looked back up towards Dark Link’s face. But it wasn’t the face of some creature or a monster corrupted by Aganihm’s magic. It was the face of Link, and they were crying too. Link rubbed their eyes, attempting to clear their vision. When they opened them again, they were no longer crumpled on the ground, but standing and staring down at a mirror version of themselves laying defeated and confused.   
“I...I can’t kill you”.   
A darkness began to surround both Links. When the natural light of the forest finally faded in, both Links were again one. They found themselves back in the woods, standing in front of a hollowed out tree trunk being used as a doorway.   
“This must be it” they said “‘Face yourself and pull the blade’” once again quoting the poem they’d read earlier. They ran through the wooden tunnel, emerging into a serene, picturesque area of the forest, teeming with bright green grass and white flowers. The rain from before was still falling as they walked towards the pedestal at the end of the path. Link couldn’t see the sword yet, it seemed like some big, black rock was blocking it, but they knew it had to be there. Excitedly, they ran up to the pedestal and around the rock to find…  
Nothing. No Master Sword. Just an empty hole where the blade was supposed to rest. The rain began to fall harder as Link fell to their knees.   
“No.”  
Through angry tears they then began pounding at the stone ground beneath them.   
“I...I’ve done everything! Why isn’t it here!? It’s supposed to be here! All the legends state that the Master Sword sleeps within the Lost Woods! I’ve gotten the pendants! Is it because I couldn’t defeat that dark me!? Why!?” 

“Well now, you’re back. It’s been quite some time”.   
Link looked up to see who was talking to them. The only thing around was a large tree in front of the pedestal. It kind of looked like it had a face, but trees don’t talk, right?  
“Oh, my mistake. You just reminded me of an old friend from long ago” the tree said.   
Link half recognised this being from the vision they had after collecting their first pendant.   
“Are...are you the Great Deku Tree?”  
“Ah, I see that the Hylians still refer to me by that name. That’s a title I went by a long time ago when I was looked up to by many. I’m just the Deku Tree now. Might I ask, what brings you here, pink haired one?”  
“I...I’m looking for the Master Sword. A follower of Ganon is trying to bring about his return and the sword is the only thing that can stop him. It’s supposed to be here but I can’t find it”.   
“I see, and this sword. Are you sure it is the only thing that can stop this Ganon?”  
“Yes!”   
“Then why were you sent to retrieve it? If this sword was truly as powerful as you say then why couldn’t it just beat Ganon on it’s own?”  
Link felt like this was a stupid question.   
“Someone needs to wield the sword” Link replied, surprised that they had to clarify what seemed to be so obvious.   
“Then what you’ve told me isn’t true”.   
“Excuse me?” Link asked.   
Take that shield in your hand. It’s made to protect you. That is its purpose. So if you leave it on the ground, will it still protect you?”  
“No...I have to hold it”.   
“So the shield is not protecting you by itself, you have to be there to hold it, to know how to use it”.   
“I...um...I think I get what you’re saying but...I still need that sword and it’s not here”.   
“Do me a favor, friend, turn around and look again”.   
Link grew more and more confused with each sentence the Deku Tree made. Still, they decided to take one more look at the pedestal.   
“I still don’t see it”.   
“I do” the Deku Tree replied.   
Puzzled, Link began darting their eyes all around the woods looking for the sword until they finally focused on the rock behind they had passed earlier. The side facing them now was smooth, and with the raid falling down it’s surface it became reflective, like a mirror. They walked closer and closer to the mirror, looking at their dark reflection up and down. It was then that they noticed something odd. There was a regal looking blue hilt on their sword, but only in the reflection. Link could just barely see it poking out of the scabbard on their reflection’s back. It took time to finally see, but it was there. Link grabbed the handle of the sword with their left hand.   
Link had done it. They’d gathered the three pendants and ventured into the lost woods. They’d conquered the many trials set before them and emerged stronger than they had been before. All that was left to do now was to face themself and pull the blade.   
As Link pulled the Master Sword from their scabbard, the rain began to slow down until it stopped. Link raised the Master Sword towards the heavens. It was done. But what were they now? The Hero of Time? Maybe once, but not anymore. On this day, Link became the Hero of Legend.


	12. Chapter 12

Aganihm placed the unconscious body of Princess Zelda on the stone altar. He turned to look out of the castle window. The sun was setting, dying the sky a menacing red. Soon, the barrier between the Hyrule and the corrupted sacred realm would be at its weakest point. If the ritual were done correctly, the Princess’s life would be exchanged to bring about Ganon’s return. Soon, the rightful king would sit upon his throne once again. This night had been prepared for since the slaying of the Hero of Time generations ago. Hyrule had been living on borrowed time, but that shaky peace was coming to an end, for tonight would be the last night of Hyrule. 

“Lord Aganihm, sir” one of the mad mage’s soldiers said in a panic.  
“What is it? Can't you see that I need to prepare for the ritual?” he replied in his booming, authoritative voice.   
“There’s a kid at the castle gates! I think they’re the one sent by the princess!”  
Aganihm took one more look out the window, this time looking down at the ground as opposed to up at the stars. Just in front of the gate to Hyrule castle stood an adolescent Hylian draped in green. The child looked up and down at the castle, eventually locking eyes with Aganihm. The guard was right, this was Zelda’s childhood friend, Link. Seconds after making eye contact, Link drew their sword from their back and rushed into the castle. Aganihm paid no mind to this, after all, Link was just a weak child with delusions of grandeur. They wouldn’t stand a chance against his army.   
“Send a troop down and kill them. That will be the end of it” Aganihm said to his knight, calmly “I just need a few more hours before the ritual can be completed”.  
“Yessir, Lord Aganihm” the knight replied before exiting the room.   
Aganihm moved back over to Zelda, brushing his hand across her face.   
“Stupid child. You’ve put all your faith into this one. Can’t you see that you’ve already lost? Your family lost this war ages ago. And now, you’ve put your friend upon a pedestal, presenting them as a great hero. The Hero of Time couldn’t even stop Ganon. What makes you think this weakling can stand a chance?” 

The door swung open as the same knight from earlier rushed in.   
“What is it now!? Did you kill the child yet?!” Aganihm asked frustrated.   
“Sir, the kid...I don’t know how to explain it but they’re taking our troops down in masses and making their way up here!”   
Aganihm turned around and stepped towards the knight.   
“What! How!?”  
“It’s their sword! It seems to be of a divine nature! They’re slashing at our soldiers from across the halls! Swirling around like a heavenly tornado! Thrusting with speed we’ve never seen before! It’s unreal!”   
Suddenly, fear gripped hold of Aganihm’s heart. He had heard tales of this sword being forged specifically to defeat his master, Ganon. A heavenly blade like no other, the Master Sword. Somehow, Link managed to obtain it.   
“Keep them occupied for as long as possible! Make sure they don’t reach this chamber!”   
“Right away si-” the knight had been cut off by a sudden stab through the chest. He jerked forward before bursting into a puff of dark smoke. The smoke dissipated, revealing Link, the Hero of Legend. They lowered their left arm and readied the Master Sword behind them.   
“Aganihm”. Link said calmly, but with enough edge to send a shiver down Aganihm’s spine.   
Link then looked down at the altar to see their friend, Zelda, lying motionless.   
“This ends here!” Link shouted.   
Aganihm mustered all of the courage left in his dark heart.   
“Link...You are a fool!”   
“Well excuse me, sorcerer! You’re the one who’s trying to bring Ganon back to Hyrule!”   
“You know nothing of my master! Ganon ruled this land for seven years, long before you were born! In that time he brought order to the kingdom! He freed Hyrule from the rule of laughingstocks to the land! He has made this kingdom great!”   
“You lie! Ganon is the king of darkness. That’s why the goddesses sent the Hero of Time to stop him”  
“All of those silly legends you were told were lies, bedtime stories to keep you complacent with the status quo. I’m the only one you can trust...Link…”  
Aganihm bent down on one knee, attempting to gain Link’s sympathy.   
“I loved your mother. I saw great potential in you, almost as if you were my own. I would hate to see you go down this path, and I think Mitsoku would too. Link, you have to trust me!”.   
Link lowered their blade, still locking eyes with Aganihm. They then looked at their friend, sleeping in the middle of the room, before turning their eyes to the Master Sword, and to their reflection in the blade.   
“I trust my friends”.   
Link rushed at Aganihm, courage burning in his spirit, ready to strike down the mage. The attempted to deliver a slash across Aganihm’s body, but before contact could be made, Aganihm’s physical form turned misty and the Master Sword merely swiped through his body. Agahnim then grabbed at Link’s neck with his slender, bony hands, and began choking them as he lifted them off the ground.   
“Lavena and Mitsuko made the same mistake years ago, it cost them their lives. I hoped you would be different” Aganihm said before throwing Link to the ground. He then turned around towards the altar and walked slowly towards the princess.   
“No!” Link shouted as they bolted from the ground and slashed their sword at the air. If this had been a normal sword, the blade would have merely made a whooshing sound as it cut through the space, slaying a bug if anything. But this was nor ordinary sword, this was the Master Sword. While Aganihm was well across the room at this point, the swiping of the sword created a beam of divine magic that flew forward, striking Agahnim. The force of the strike sent Agahnim flying through the air, over the altar before crashing onto the stone floor.   
“‘The same mistake’? ‘It cost them their lives?’ It was you! You killed them!” Link screamed at the man now scrambling to get off the ground “How could you do that! You said you loved them!”

“I loved Mitsuko and only her more than anything in the world! But she chose that tree hugging Zonai over the greatest mage in all the land! It pained me to kill the love of my life, but I was robbed of what I truly deserved, just as Ganon had! I will restore his rightful place on the throne and deliver justice to the land! I will make sure everyone gets what they deserve! And you deserve to die!”

Aganihm rose from the ground, waving his hands about in preparation for a spell. He thrusted his hands forward, firing the spell at Link. Thinking quickly, Link slashed as the arcane beam, using the Master Sword’s reflective properties to bounce the blast back at Aganihm.  
Time began to slow down for the wizard as their own magic blast was inching closer and closer to his face. This was it. That spell was powerful enough to kill a lionell, and now it would be his undoing. He couldn’t fail his master now. Even if he were to die, Ganon must return to this land. The sacrifice spell had been botched, but if he were to simply transport the princess to the corrupted sacred realm, then perhaps Ganon could take care of her and bring about his own return to Hyrule. Ganon was powerful, he had the means to do so. It would take more time than expected, but it would work. Just before the lethal spell hit Aganihm, with his dying breath, he whispered one last spell, before his whole world became as dark as his heart. 

Link had shielded their eyes from the explosion caused by the blast. It was quiet now. Slowly they opened his eyes to see that Aganihm was gone, leaving a small pile of ashes where he once stood. Thinking everything was over, Link turned around to go wake Zelda. But as they turned around to face the altar...it was empty.   
“No”  
Lightning broke the sky just as it had done on the night the princess first made contact.   
“Zeldaaa!”


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Link raced through the fields of Hyrule, thunder booming around them as they took each step. The sky was growing ever darker with each passing second, almost beginning to crack with each bolt of lightning that shattered across it. The strange thing, however, was that not a drop of rain fell from the sky. Still, the air had an eerie feel to it as if a downpour was imminent.   
Link began huffing and puffing as they rushed exhaustedly towards the church, their cheeks becoming redder with every moment they pushed their body to its limit. Mother Impa was still at the church, perhaps she would have some answers. Everything seemed so dire to Link now, the whole world was about to crumble before them. But they had just enough time to hold it together.   
The door of the church swung open as Link fell onto the soft carpet inside. In an instant, Mother Impa was at the weary Hylian’s side.   
“Link!? What happened!? Are you alright!?” Impa asked anxiously.   
Link’s breaths became so heavy that they could barely muster one word responses to the priest.   
“huff...not...me...puff...Zelda! Huff Hyrule!”   
“Link please! Try to calm down” Impa replied as she picked Link up and began escorting them to one of the pews.   
“I can’t calm down! I was fighting Aganihm and...and...and… I beat him I think but then I looked back and Zelda was gone!”   
“Hmmm, I sensed something was off. I don’t feel her presence anymore in this realm”.  
“This realm? What are you talking about!?”   
Impa began taking a closer examination of Link’s body. Their eyes were sunken and baggy. Sweat drops cascaded down their skin, giving it an oily sheen. Their body quaked in nervous shivers, and their entire outfit was covered in dirt, ash and blood. Link seemed on the verge of collapse, but they kept going on hysterically about Zelda and how they needed to save Hyrule. She gently placed a hand on the quivering child’s cheek.   
“Link, I know you’re scared but you can’t keep going on like this. This stress is going to take its toll on you”.   
“This is far bigger than me, Impa! The whole world is at stake! My friend’s life is at stake! Ganon could come back any moment to wreak havoc and I need to do something to stop it now! If i’m really the Hero of Legend then I need to be selfless and brave and...and…”.   
Link stopped, tears spilling from their face. They loosened the tight grip they had over the Master Sword, letting it fall onto the soft carpet below.   
“I...I failed...I can’t keep going on like this. I’m falling apart at the seams and I don’t know how much longer I can keep going”.   
Impa sat down on the pew next to Link, allowing them to rest their tired head on her shoulder.   
“Link, you did not fail. There’s no shame in needing some time to heal. You’ve already pushed yourself so hard”.   
“But...Hyrule needs me”.   
“That may be true, but you still have a say in this whole conflict, and you can’t keep going forth in the state you are right now. It’s not good for you and it’s certainly not good for Hyrule”.   
Impa got up and walked over to the water basin at the front of the church. She took a rag and dipped the end into the water before walking back to Link and dabbing the damp cloth on to their forehead”.   
“The world cannot rest well on weary shoulders”. 

Link was able to calm down a little bit, but they were still shaking with anxieties. They remembered this feeling from once before. After their parents died, their mind began racing with fears they’d never known before. Just being alone with their thoughts left them exhausted and each day seemed like a bigger struggle than the last. They attempted to continue with their studies and training, but the stress became too much to handle. They needed time to heal.   
“I wish they were here right now…” Link said in a groggy voice.   
“Your parents?” Impa asked.   
Link nodded, mustering up all the strength they had left to do so.   
“In a certain way, they are still here, and they will always be with you”.   
Link slumped over, falling to their side.   
“Now, let’s get you washed up before you take a long rest”. Impa said.   
“But...Hyrule?” Link replied in their haziness.   
“Hyrule does need help, but Hyrule will have to wait a minute so that you can get yours”. 

Impa escorted Link to the washing room of the church, thunder still raging outside. No rain, just thunder and darkness. Afterwards, she took them to the spare bedroom and placed them in the bed.   
“...Thank you for doing this…” they said in a weary tone as Impa tucked them in.   
“You’re very welcome, Link. And remember, Hyrule will not fall in one night. It didn’t fall centuries ago when the Hero of Time lost their life in battle, and it won’t fall because you needed to sleep for a night”.   
Link had heard that name numerous times throughout their life. The Hero of Time, the greatest warrior in all the kingdom, but also its greatest failure. But other than that, Link knew nothing about this nameless, faceless, voiceless character.   
“Mother Impa? Can I ask you something?” Link asked.   
“Yes, my child” Impa replied.   
“How...how much is known about the Hero of Time?”.   
Impa took a deep breath before speaking.   
“I’m sure you’ve heard the legends of the hero, how they defeated Ganon and saved the kingdom. However, this is merely what the Hylians want to believe, so that they don’t have to live everyday in fear of a threat that they can’t even see. The truth is, as I have already told you, that the Hero of Time fell in battle against Ganon. With the full power of the Triforce, Ganon corrupted the Sacred Realm, turning it into a dark reflection of Hyrule and granting him unimaginable power. Without the Hero, the princess of the time, gathered seven wisemen to seal Hyrule from this dark world. A few souls from Hyrule managed to gain entry into the dark world, but it’s corrupting atmosphere turned them into beats who now fight by Ganon’s side. It was a temporary fix, but the seal managed to hold until now. I’m so sorry that you have to fight this battle of the ages. I’m not going to sugar coat it, this will be hard, and it’s unfair that you’re the one with this weight on your shoulders”.  
Link lied silent in contemplation for a few moments.   
“What were they like before the fight with Ganon?” They asked after much hesitation.   
“I’m sorry?”  
“Every story I hear about The Hero of Time begins at the final battle. I want to know who they were before, did they have friends, family, a name?”  
“I’m afraid the answers to most of those questions have been lost to time...however, some ancient Zonai, in their retellings of the story, did have a name for the hero, but it’s unknown whether or not it’s accurate. I believe, your mother Lavenna knew it”.  
“What was it?”  
Impa stopped for a moment as shock set in on her face, as if realizing that she said something she should not have. She sighed before speaking again.  
“Their name...was Link”. 

Link awoke the next morning refreshed and rejuvenated. Despite everything that had happened the previous night, they were able to sleep soundly through the night. Impa helped them gather their things, sword, shield, bow, and other equipment and took them into the main room of the church where a broken mirror awaited them above the altar. Impa then began to explain her findings to Link.   
“Upon vigorous meditation, I have determined from the sky that Zelda is indeed in the Dark World, but she has not fallen into Ganon’s hands yet”.   
“So, what happened to her?” Link asked.   
“It seems that your battle with Aganihm did greatly impact Ganon’s plans as the sacrifice was botched. I don’t know where, but our Princess lies somewhere in the Dark World. After you left here the first time, I placed a protection spell on her that should keep her from being corrupted, but upon entering she would have been sealed in a crystal cocoon. What you need to do now is to travel into the Dark World, and find Zelda before Ganon can”.   
“Okay, but how am I going to get to the Dark World? And what if I become corrupted too?”  
Many one way portals exist leading from Hyrule to the Dark World, but they are not at all reliable and there is no easy way back through them. You yourself accidentally stumbled upon one in your journey to the Desert Palace”.  
Link remembered being turned into a frail, pink rabbit.   
“I thought that was just a hallucination...wait! You both saw that!?” Link shouted, cheeks going red with embarrassment.   
“Only Zelda. And she thought that maybe you would need to venture through there again. That’s why she prepared this” Impa replied as she placed the Moon Pearl necklace around Link.   
“With this, you can travel throughout the Dark World without changing shape. And with this” she gestured to the broken mirror “you will step into the Dark World”.   
Link gripped onto the necklace Zelda had made them. Realizing now that what happened in the desert was real, they were now determined to save their friend.   
“Ok, I’m ready”.   
“Before you go, Link, that sword you wield, remember what you had to go through to get it. The Master Sword is a symbol of your bravery and ability to draw out your inner strength”.   
Link nodded to Impa in reply.   
“Right, now, press the pearl against the mirror and look deep into the eyes of your reflection”.  
Link stepped forward, holding the pearl in their outstretched hand and placed it on the mirror.


End file.
